FloridaCommerce has announced that Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is now available for those impacted by Hurricane Helene. The assistance is targeted at individuals and businesses whose employment was lost or interrupted due to the hurricane and who are not eligible for regular state or federal Reemployment Assistance benefits.
The affected counties include Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Columbia, Dixie, DeSoto, Duval, Franklin, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Putnam, Sarasota, Suwannee Taylor Union and Wakulla.
In FEMA disaster-declared counties impacted by Hurricane Helene work search reporting waiting week and Employ Florida registration requirements have been temporarily waived. This waiver aims to facilitate a faster application process for Reemployment Assistance and DUA benefits.
DUA eligibility extends to those unable to receive other forms of unemployment assistance. Applicants must meet certain conditions such as being unemployed due to the disaster inability to start scheduled employment or being unable to reach their job location because of the hurricane’s impact. It also covers individuals who became primary breadwinners due to a death caused by the disaster or those unable to work because of an injury related directly to it.
Benefits are available for unemployment weeks starting September 29 2024 through March 29 2025 provided that unemployment remains linked directly to the disaster in designated areas. The deadline for submitting claims varies with December 2 2024 set as the general cutoff except for Gulf County which is December 3 2024 and Alachua Baker Bradford Collier DeSoto Duval Putnam and Union Counties where it extends until December 9 2024.
Claims can be filed online at www.FloridaJobs.org by selecting “File a Claim,” visiting a local CareerSource Career Center or calling 1-800-385-3920 during business hours. For further DUA information representatives can be reached at 1-833-FL-APPLY (1-833-352-7759).
Applications submitted after deadlines may be considered untimely potentially leading to denial unless justified with good cause. Required documentation includes Social Security numbers check stubs proof of employment status during the disaster and possibly additional documents all due within three weeks from filing the DUA application.